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FIELD  COLUMBIAN  MUSEUM 

PUBLICATION  54. 
ZOOLOGICAL  SERIES.  VOL.   Ill,   No.   3. 


LIST    OF    MAMMALS 


OBTAINED    i;V 


THADDEUS  SURBER, 

COLLECTOR   FOR   THK    MUSEUM. 

IN    THE 

. 

PROVINCES  OF  NEW  BRUNSWICK 
AND  QUEBEC,  CANADA. 


BY 


I).   G.   ELLIOT,   F.R.S.E. 
Curator  of  Department. 


CHICAGO,   U.   S.   A. 
March,   igoi. 


LIST    OF    MAMMALS 

OBTAINED    BY 

MR.  THADDEUS   SURBER, 

Official  Collector  of  the  Museum 

IN  THE  PROVINCES  OF  NEW  BRUNSWICK  AND  QUEBEC,  CANADA, 
IN  THE  SUMMER  OF  igoo. 

BY  D.  G.  ELLIOT,  F.R.S.E. 


The  following  named  species  were  procured  by  Mr.  Surber  in 
New  Brunswick  and  Quebec  at  eight  different  points  in  the  two 
Provinces.  He  began  to  collect  at  Dalhousie,  on  the  Bay  of  Chaleur, 
then  went  to  Metapedia,  Salmon  Lake,  and  Riviere  du  Loup.  Here 
he  crossed  the  St.  Lawrence  to  Murray  Bay,  and  from  that  place 
went  to  Lakes  Edward  and  Ecarte.  From  this  locality  he  pro- 
ceeded to  Tadousac  via  Lake  St.  John,  and  then,  passing  again  to 
the  south  shore,  he  returned  to  Metapedia  and  ascended  the  Resti- 
gouche  River  to  the  mouth  of  Two  Brooks.  Here  he  ascended  to 
the  higher  plateau  to  a  small  lake,  and  a  stream  called  Grog  Brook, 
situated  on  the  divide  between  the  Upsalquitch  and  Restigouche 
Rivers.  At  this  place,  during  his  absence,  the  camp  was  burned 
with  the  loss  of  all  the  specimens  he  had  collected  since  leaving 
Metapedia.  This  misfortune  compelled  him  to  return.  Up  to  the 
month  of  August  the  season  had  been  very  wet,  making  collecting 
difficult  and  unpleasant.  At  Tadousac  not  a  single  mammal  was 
taken  and  no  signs  of  any  noticed,  and  it  would  appear  that  the  place 
had  been  abandoned  by  four-footed  creatures.  A  week  was  passed 
there  in  a  vain  search.  I  have  added  Mr.  Surber's  notes,  and  they 
will  be  found  attached  to  each  species  over  his  initials. 

ORDER  I.     UNGULATA. 
FAM.   CERVID^:. 

i.     Rangifer  caribou. 

Rangifer  caribou.      Gmel.    Syst.    Nat.,    i,    1788,   p.    177. 

No  Examples  obtained. 

"Caribou  are  somewhat  common  back  to  the  westward  of 
Lake  Edward  and  I  saw  numerous  tracks  of  this  species  be- 
tween Lake  Edward  and  Lake  Ecarte.  They  are  numerous 


16  FIELD  COLUMBIAN  MUSEUM — ZOOLOGV,  VOL.   III. 

also  to  the  northward  of  Salmon  Lake,  being  occasionally  seen 
at  the  border  of  that  body  of  water.  However,  it  is  in  the 
region  about  Grog  Brook  that  I  saw  most  signs  of  their  pres- 
ence, and  it  was  no  trouble  to  find  a  dozen  fresh  tracks  any 
morning  of  my  stay  there,  both  on  the  barrens  and  in  the 
forest.  Several  deeply  worn  game  trails  cross  Grog  Brook 
and  the  barrens  on  either  side,  and  during  my  stay  neither 
the  moose  nor  caribou  seemed  to  use  them,  it  being  then 
probably  too  late  in  the  season.  It  is  no  trouble  to  get  a 
caribou  in  that  section. 

"  I  was  told  however  by  many  guides  that  the  best  section  of 
country  for  this  species  during  September  is  the  region  just 
north  of  the  Patapedia  River,  reached  by  portage  road  from 
Amqui,  a  small  place  on  the  Intercolonial  Railway."  (T.  S.) 

2.     Alces  americanus. 

Alces  americanus.     Jard.  Nat.  Libr. ,  1835,  Mamm.,  p.  125. 

No  specimens  obtained. 

In  Quebec  on  the  north  shore  of  the  St.  Lawrence  the 
moose  is  very  rarely  niet  with.  The  species  was  nearly  exter- 
minated in  many  localities,  but  a  law  prohibiting  any  one  to  shoot 
a  moose  for  five  years  gave  the  animals  a  chance  to  increase  their 
numbers,  and  the}'  began  to  appear  again  in  their  old  haunts. 
On  the  south  side  of  the  river,  especially  in  New  Brunswick,  they 
are  not  uncommon. 

"Moose  are  found  sparingly  throughout  the  region  visited, 
being  common  only  in  the  vicinity  of  Two  Brooks  on  the  Resti- 
gouche  and  further  up  the  Restigouche  and  Patapedia  Rivers. 
While  at  Salmon  Lake,  early  one  foggy  morning  I  got  quite 
close  to  two  moose,  but  they  made  off  in  a  hurry  on  seeing  me. 
During  my  stay  at  Dalhousie  a  bull  moose  was  seen  two  or  three 
times  in  an  old  meadow  within  the  town  limits,  very  early  in  the 
mornings  on  each  occasion.  The  Restigouche  region  is  the  best 
moose  country  in  Eastern  Canada,  thanks  to  a  wise  law,  and 
before  I  left  there  the  latter  part  of  September  I  heard  of  several 
sportsmen  who  had  secured  their  moose.  One  was  killed  within 
the  limits  of  the  town  of  Riviere  du  Loup  in  September.  Moose 
are  rather  scarce  in  the  region  about  Lake  Edward  and  on  my 
canoe  trip  to  Lake  Ecarte  I  saw  but  one  track.  While  camped 
on  the  head  of  Grog  Brook,  New  Brunswick,  I  trailed  one  up 
one  day,  but  the  red  squirrels,  which  seemed  that  day  unusually 
noisy,  warned  it  in  time  and  I  only  caught  a  glimpse  of  it  as  it 


MAR.  1901.     MAMMALS  FROM  N.  BRUNS.  AND  QUE. — ELLIOT.  17 

rushed  away.      There  are  many  moose  in  that  section,  as  I  daily 
saw  fresh  tracks,  some  of  large  size."  (T.  S.) 

3.  Odocoileus  americanus. 

Odocoileus  americanus.     Erxl.  Syst.  Regn.  Anim.,  1777,  p.  312. 

No  specimens  procured. 

"  Red  deer  are  not  found  at  all  in  most  of  the  region  covered 
by  the  writer,  and  I  saw  tracks  of  them  only  on  the  high  land 
about  Grog  Brook  and  one  track  on  Dalhousie  Mountain.  I  am 
told  they  have  only  made  their  appearance  in  Restigouche 
County,  New  Brunswick,  within  the  past  fifteen  years,  being 
unknown  previous  to  that.  Back  some  distance  from  Riviere  du 
Loup  toward  the  Madawaska  region  they  are  said  to  be  plenti- 
ful. Mr.  Rowley  tells  me  they  have  been  unknown  above  Lake 
Edward  till  about  a  year  ago  one  was  seen  on  the  Vermillion 
River  (the  outlet  of  Lake  Ecarte).  The  winters  at  Lake  Edward, 
from  its  1,200  feet  elevation,  are  too  severe  for  this  deer.'' 

(T.  S.) 

ORDER     RODENTIA. 
FAM.    SCIURID^E. 

4.  Sciurus  hudsonius. 

Sciurus  hudsonius.      Erxl.  Mamm.,  1777,  p.  416. 

Specimens  from  Dalhousie,  New  Brunswick,  Murray  Bay  and 
Lake  Edward,  Quebec. 

These  examples  were  taken  in  June,  July  and  August.  The 
June  have  the  broad,  reddish  dorsal  stripe  and  dark  hands  and 
feet  ;  those  of  the  two  other  months  are  without  dorsal  stripe 
and  with  buff  colored  hands  and  feet.  The  tails  vary  in  the  cen- 
ter from  a  rich  red  of  the  July  specimen  to  a  mixed  red  and  buff, 
the  latter  on  the  tips  of  the  hairs. 

"  Red  squirrels  were  common  at  all  the  places  visited,  except 
in  the  region  about  Murray  Bay  and  at  Riviere  du  Loup.  I  saw 
none  at  all  at  the  latter  place,  but  at  Murray  Bay  well  up  toward 
the  summit  of  the  mountain  near  the  village  I  saw  several. 
Near  my  camp  at  Grog  Brook,  between  the  Restigouche  and 
Upsalquitch  Rivers  in  northern  New  Brunswick,  they  were 
extremely  abundant  and  made  a  great  noise  in  the  brush  of  a 
clear  frosty  morning  ;  in  fact,  they  are  a  regular  nuisance  to  the 
big  game  hunter  in  that  section,  and  scared  a  big  moose  away 


i8  FIELD  COLUMBIAN  MUSEUM — ZOOLOGY,  VOL.  III. 

from   the   writer   one   morning   when   almost   within    rifle    shot. 
Near  Lake  Edward  they  are  also  abundant."  (T.  S.) 

5.  Tamias  striatus  lysteri. 

Tamias  striatus  lysteri.  Rich.  Faun.  Bor.  Amer.,  1829,  i,  p. 
181,  pi.  15. 

Fourteen  specimens,  i  from  Riviere  du  Loup,  13  from  Murray 
Bay,  Province  of  Quebec. 

Not  uncommon  at  Murray  Bay,  but  none  was  procured  art 
Lake  Edward  nor  in  the  other  places  visited  except  Riviere  du 
Loup. 

"On  the  mountain  side  near  Murray  Bay  I  found  this  species 
very  common,  taking,  however,  but  13  specimens  during  my 
stay.  On  the  south  shore  of  the  St.  Lawrence  at  Riviere  du 
Loup  I  saw  two  but  secured  only  i  specimen,  while  at  Tadoii- 
sac  this  was  the  only  species  of  mammal  I  saw,  but  I  saw  only 
one  there  and  that  I  failed  to  secure.  While  at  Lake  Edward  I 
am  pretty  sure  I  heard  one  of  this  species  one  day,  and  after- 
wards trapped  the  place  thoroughly  but  without  success.  Mr. 
R.  Rowley  tells  me  it  is  found  at  Lake  Edward  but  is  rare.  At 
Grog  Brook  2  specimens  were  secured,  but  lost  in  the  fire  which 
destroyed  my  camp.  They  are  not  at  all  common  in  northern 
New  Brunswick,  from  all  I  could  learn,  and  I  failed  to  get  any  at 
Dalhousie,  though  I  was  told  they  were  found  there."'  (T.  S.) 

6.  Arctomys  monax  canadensis. 

Arctomys  canadensis.     Erxl.  Syst.  Anim.,  1777,  p.  363. 

Seven  specimens  from  Murray  Bay,  Quebec. 

This  variety  of  the  common  woodchuck,  A.  inonax,  was  quite 
numerous  at  Murray  Bay.  It  is  smaller  than  its  southern  rela- 
tive, and  much  more  golden  on  the  under  parts,  while  the  head 
is  not  so  dark.  Like  A.  monax,  individuals  vary  considerably  in 
color,  some  being  much  more  hoary  above  than  others,  and  the 
color  of  the  hands  and  feet  vary  from  black  to  chestnut.  The 
skulls  differ  mainly  in  size. 

Measurements  of  adults  are:  Total  length,  510-562;  tail  verte- 
brae, io8-'i4o;  hind  foot,  74-78. 

"  Woodchucks  are  common  all  through  the  section  visited, 
except  in  the  country  about  Lake  Edward  and  the  dense  forest 
between  the  Restigouche  and  Upsalquitch  Rivers.  They  are 
particularly  abundant  on  the  hills  about  Murray  Bay,  where  they 
find  a.bundant  food  in  the  grass  lands  there,  and  I  secured  7 


MAR.  1901.     MAMMALS  FROM  N.  BRUNS.  AND  QUE. — ELLIOT.  19 

specimens  of  different  ages.  A  <  siffleur's '  den  is  about  as  bad 
smelling  as  a  fox's,  which  it  resembles  very  closely,  but  I  never 
noticed  it  elsewhere  than  at  Murray  Bay.  I  saw  several  wood- 
chucks  from  the  car  window  while  en  route  to  Lake  St.  John, 
near  Chambord  Junction,  and  from  the  character  of  the  country 
presume  they  are  common  there,  but  at  Tadousac,  in  country 
exactly  similar  to  that  about  Murray  Bay,  they  were  apparently 
not  at  all  common."  (T.  S.) 


SUB-FAM.    PTEROMYIN.E. 

Sciuropterus  sabrinus. 

Sciuropterus  sabrinus.      Shaw,  Gen.  Zool.,  i,  1801,  p.  157. 

Lake  Edward,  Quebec. 

Flying  squirrels  were  not  at  all  common.  In  fact,  Lake  Ed- 
ward was  the  only  locality  in  which  any  were  seen. 

"Near  the  Laurentides  House,  Lake  Edward,  I  trapped  the 
only  specimen  of  flying  squirrel  taken  on  the  trip,  taking  it  in  a 
clu-mp  of  balsam  trees  on  a  side  hill.  Mr.  Robert  Rowley,  the 
proprietor  of  the  hotel  there,  tells  me  it  is  a  rare  mammal  in  that 
section.  At  Metapedia,  I  was  told  of  some  flying  squirrels  hav- 
ing been  taken  a  few  years  ago  near  the  clubhouse  belonging  to 
the  Restigouche  Salmon  Club.  While  up  the  Restigouche,  my 
guide  and  myself  searched  everywhere  for  this  mammal,  but  in 
vain.  I  could  not  hear  of  it  at  the  other  places  visited,  so  it  must 
be  rare."  (T.  S.) 


FAM.    CASTORID^:. 

8.     Castor  canadensis. 

Castor  canadensis.      Kuhl,  Brit.  Zool.,  1820,  p.  64; 

"  I  was  shown  a  fresh  beaver  dam  near  Lake  Ecarte,  about  20 
miles  from  Lake  Edward,  which  was,  during  the  time  of  my 
visit,  the  home  of  a  small  colony  of  beavers,  but  of  course  they 
were  carefully  protected.  Mr.  Rowley  told  me  of  another  colony 
which  he  is  carefully  watching  near  Lake  Edward.  The  only 
other  place  I  saw  any  signs  of  beaver  was  at  Grog  Brook,  about  a 
mile  from  where  I  camped,  though  therewere  plenty  of  old  cuttings 
about  Two  Brooks  Lake.  They  are  becoming  very  scarce  in  the 
region  visited,  but  are  now  rigidly  protected  by  law,  and  let  us 
hope  this  may  save  what  few  remain."  (T.  S.) 


2O  FIELD  COLUMBIAN  MUSEUM  —  ZOOLOGY,  VOL.  III. 

FAM. 


g.     Mus  norwegicus. 

Mus  norwegicus.     Erxl.  Syst.  Reg.  Anim.,  1777,  p.  381. 

Mus  decumanus.     Pall.  Glir.  ,  1778,  p.  91. 

One  specimen  taken  at  Murray  Bay,  Province  of  Quebec. 

"House  rats  are  found  at  all  the  points  visited,  except  those 
remote  from  civilization.  One  specimen  of  rather  peculiar  color 
was  taken  at  Murray  Bay."  (T.  S.) 

10.  Peromyscus  canadensis. 

Peromyscus  canadensis.     Miller,  Proc.  Biol.  Soc.  Wash.,  1893, 

P-  55- 

Twenty  specimens  from  Salmon  Lake  and  Riviere  du  Loup, 
New  Brunswick,  and  Murray  Bay,  Quebec. 

These  examples  are  evidently  true  canadensis,  Miller.  No 
Peromyscus  were  taken  at  Lake  Edward,  so  I  am  unable  to  make 
any  comparisons  with  abietorum,  Bangs.  Murray  Bay  being  but 
a  comparatively  short  distance  from  Lake  Edward  and  on  same 
latitude,  should  produce  abietorum,  but  all  the  specimens  are 
canadensis.  It  is  true  that  some  of  the  younger  examples  answer 
very  well  to  Bangs'  description,  and  gives  rise  to  the  suspicion 
that  abietorum  may  only  be  immature  canadensis,  and  the  total 
absence  of  any  adults  differing  from  canadensis  in  my  series 
strengthens  the  idea. 

"  It  seems  strange  no  specimens  of  white-footed  mice  were 
secured  in  upper  New  Brunswick,  the  nearest  point  being  Salmon 
Lake,  Province  of  Quebec,  on  the  Metapedia  River,  where  one 
was  taken.  They  were  fairly  common  about  Riviere  du  Loup, 
where  I  secured  several  specimens,  and  were  also  fairly  common 
at  Murray  Bay,  which  was  the  only  point  north  of  the  St.  Law- 
rence where  I  took  specimens.  I  find  this  mouse  lives  almost 
exclusively  in  the  hardwood  forests,  and  there  being  only  small 
widely  separated  tracts  of  such  timber  north  of  the  St.  Lawrence 
may,  in  some  manner,  account  for  its  absence,  but  this  will  not 
account  for  my  not  finding  it  at  Dalhousie,  where  there  is  plenty 
of  hardwood."  (T.  S.) 

11.  Evotomys  gapperi. 

Evotomys  gapperi.     Vigors  Zool.  Journ.  ,  v,  1830,  p.  204,  pi.  ix. 

Twenty-six  examples  from  Dalhousie,  Salmon  Lake,  Meta- 
pedia, Upper  Restigouche  River  and  Lake  Edward,  Provinces  of 
New  Brunswick  and  Quebec. 


MAR.  1901.     MAMMALS  FROM  N.  BRUNS.  AND  QUE. — ELLIOT.  21 

In  this  series,  so  far  as  their  appearance  is  concerned,  there 
are  two  very  distinct  styles  of  Evotomys.  One  is  a  light  colored, 
rather  long  and  loose  haired  animal;  the  other  short  haired, 
smooth  and  dark  colored.  Many  species  of  North  American 
Mammals  have  been  described  that  possessed  far  less  claims  for 
distinctive  rank  so  far  as  texture  and  color  of  fur  is  concerned. 
The  dark  colored  form  has  been  supposed  by  Mr.  Bangs  to  be 
the  only  one  represented  at  Lake  Edward  and  to  be  true  gapperi 
(Proc.  Biol.  Soc.  Wash.,  x,  1896,  p.  49).  The  type  of  gapperi 
came  from  Lake  Simcoe,  Ontario,  Canada,  and  the  description 
indicates  an  animal  of  the  light  colored  style.  I  have  no  speci- 
mens from  Lake  Simcoe  to  compare  with  my  present  series,  the 
nearest  specimen  to  that  locality  before  me  being  from  Trout 
Creek,  to  the  north  of  Lake  Simcoe  and  not  far  from  Lake 
Nipissing.  This  is  of  the  light  variety  and  in  outward  appear- 
ance entirely  unlike  the  dark  colored  specimens,  but  exactly 
resembling  the  light  examples  in  my  series.  It  is  therefore 
probable,  judging  from  the  description,  that  the  dark  colored 
form  is  not  typical  gapperi,  with  buffy-ochraceous  sides,  brownish 
tail  and  silvery  gray  feet,  for  none  of  these  characters  apply  to 
it,1  since  the  sides  are  dark,  more  or  less  lined  with  buff;  the 
hands  and  feet  brownish  black,  with  tufts  of  white  hairs  con- 
cealing the  nails;  and  the  tail  brownish  black  above,  grayish 
beneath  and  tipped  with  black,  causing  the  animal  to  be  quite 
different  so  far  as  the  coloring  is  concerned.  Specimens  of  both 
styles  were  collected  in  the  months  of  June,  July,  August  and 
September,  and  these  exhibited  no  changes  in  their  coloration, 
each  one  preserving  its  distinctive  hues,  and  the  young  resembl- 
ing the  adults.  Now  why  should  there  not  be  two  species,  when 
they  are  so  entirely  different  in  appearance  and,  so  far  as  known, 
show  no  evidence  of  intergrading.  Simply  because  both  are 
found  in  the  same  localities,  and  it  is  not  probable  that  two  so 
closely  allied  forms  of  the  same  genus  could  inhabit  the  same 
localities  and  remain  distinct.  In  all  the  places,  from  Dalhousie 
to  Lake  Edward,  both  styles  were  obtained,  except  on  the  upper 
waters  of  the  Restigouche,  where  only  the  dark  form  was  pro- 
cured, but  it  does  not  follow  that  the  light  form  is  not  also  to  be 
found  there.  This  series  presents  a  very  puzzling  problem,  for 
the  color  of  the  pelage  in  neither  style  presents  a  seasonal  phase, 
else  they  would  likely  resemble  each  other;  nor  one  resulting 
from  age,  as  the  young  and  the  adults  are  exactly  alike.  The 
skulls  of  both  styles  exhibit  no  differences  whatever  that  would 


22  FIELD  COLUMBIAN  MUSEUM — ZOOLOGY,  VOL.  III. 

indicate  two  species.  It  is  desirable  to  obtain  specimens  from 
Lake  Simcoe,  the  type  locality,  for  comparison,  and  these,  unfor- 
tunately, I  do  not  possess,  but  I  am  satisfied,  judging  from  the 
present  series  and  the  Trout  Creek  specimen,  that  both  the  light 
and  dark  forms  will  also  be  found  there.  At  Murray  Bay,  although 
every  effort  was  made  for  over  two  weeks  to  obtain  specimens  of 
Evotomys,  none  were  taken.  The  following  is  a  description  of 
the  dark  style  :  Specimen  from  Lake  Edward,  No.  724,  taken 
August  5,  1900.  Head  and  upper  parts  very  dark  rich  chestnut; 
sides  dark,  thickly  lined  with  buff :  sides  of  nose  yellowish ; 
cheeks  and  under  parts  silvery  white,  the  dark  base  of  the  hairs 
showing  through.  Hands  and  feet  brownish  black,  nails  hidden 
by  tufts  of  white  hairs.  Tail  brownish  black  above,  grayish 
beneath,  tip  black  ;  ears  like  the  back.  Measurements  :  Total 
length,  146  mm.;  tail  vertebrae,  43;  hind  foot,  20.  This  problem 
requires  further  investigation.  It  will  be  noticed  that  the  above 
description  does  not  at  all  indicate  typical  gapperi.  Mr.  Bailey 
does  not  speak  of  the  dark  form  here  described,  in  his  paper  on 
Evotomys*  and  he  did  not  have  any  specimens  from  Lake  Simcoe. 
"  I  took  the  red-backed  vole  as  low  down  as  25  feet  above  sea 
level  at  Dalhousie,  New  Brunswick,  finding  them  among  the 
rocks  and  logs  of  Dalhousie  Mountain.  At  Lake  Edward  they 
were  also  fairly  common,  living  under  old  logs,  their  runways 
extending  in  every  direction  through  the  deep  moss  on  the 
steeper  hillsides  ;  in  fact,  this  vole,  in  my  opinion,  lives  almost 
wholly  on  sloping  ground,  for  I've  never  taken  any  on  level 
ground  anywhere.  I  searched  for  it,  but  without  success,  at 
Murray  Bay,  and  do  not  believe  it  is  found  there,  while  at 
Riviere  du  Louponly  one  imperfect  specimen  was  taken." 

(T.  S.) 

12.     Microtus   pennsylvanicus. 

Microtus  pennsylvanicus.  Ord.  Guthr.  Geog. ,  1815,  2d  ed. , 
p.  292. 

Fifteen  specimens  from  Dalhousie,  Restigouche  River,  Murray 
Bay  and  Lake  Edward. 

This  species  appeared  to  be  more  common  in  New  Brunswick 
than  in  Quebec,  as  only  4  specimens  were  procured  at  Murray- 
Bay  and  i  at  Lake  Edward.  M.  chrotorrhinus,  Miller,  was  not 
obtained. 

"Meadow  voles  were  apparently  more  common  in  a  wet 
meadow  at  Dalhousie,  New  Brunswick,  than  elsewhere,  but  I 

*Proc.  Biol.  Soc.  Wash.,  1897,  p.  113. 


MAR.  1901.      MAMMALS  FROM  N.  BRUNS.  AND  QUE. — ELLIOT.  23 

got  only  8  specimens»there.  At  Two  Brooks  I  secured  2  speci- 
mens in  a  sphagnum  bed  by  the  brook  and  at  Grog  Brook  two 
more  were  taken  on  the  barrens,  also  among  the  deep  reddish 
moss.  At  Murray  Bay  only  4  specimens  were  taken,  all  being 
secured  in  a  small  sphagnum  swamp,  where  they  were  apparently 
common,  but  luck  seemed  against  my  securing  many  specimens. 
Mr.  Ferguson  told  me  they^were  found  at  Metapedia,  though 
I  searched  there  for  it  in  vain."  (T.  S.) 

13.  Microtus  fontigenus. 

Microtus  fontigenus.  Bangs,  Proc.  Biol.  Soc.  Wash.,  1896, 
p.  48. 

Three  examples  of  this  vole  were  obtained  at  Lake  Edward. 

"  I  secured  Bangs'  Vole  in  only  one  place  near  Lake  Edward, 
a  sphagnum  swamp  by  the  railroad  only  a  short  distance  south 
of  the  Laurentide's  House,  and  their  runways  were  quite  numer- 
ous, but  probably  owing  to  the  unusually  wet  weather  then 
prevailing,  they  were  not  much  frequented.  I  trapped  per- 
sistently, but  secured  only  4  specimens.  From  what  I  learned 
while  at  Lake  Edward,  Mr.  Bangs  got  his  specimens  about  a 
mile  north  of  the  station,  but  I  could  not  catch  any  specimens  at 
all  there  during  five  days'  trapping."  (T.  S.) 

14.  Synaptomys  fatuus. 

Synaptomys  fatuus.    Bangs,  Proc.  Biol.  Soc.  Wash.,  1896^.47. 

Three  specimens  of  this  scarce  species  were  procured  at  Lake 
Edward. 

"  Bangs'  Lemming  Vole  must  be  a  rather  rare  species  even  at 
Lake  Edward,  for  I  spent  nearly  three  weeks  getting  3  speci- 
mens. The  first  one  was  taken  from  a  Microtus  runway  in  the 
sphagnum  swamp  near  the  Laurentide's  House  (where  I  secured 
M.  fontigenus),  the  second  specimen  was  taken  well  up  a  steep 
side  hill  in  a  trap  set  in  a  Evotomys  runway  under  a  log,  while 
the  third  one  was  taken  among  the  rocks  on  a  rather  barren  hill 
in  front  of  the  station  at  Lake  Edward,  where  there  was  very 
little  cover  except  dead  huckleberry  bushes."  (T.  S. ) 

15.  Fiber  zibethicus. 

Fiber  zibethicus.      Linn.  Syst.  Nat.,  i,  1766,  p.  79. 

"  I  took  four  muskrats,  two  at  Lake  Edward  and  two  at  Grog 
Brook,  but  unfortunately  the  former  were  lost  through  the 
express  company  and  the  latter  were  destroyed  in  the  fire  at  my 


24  FIELD  COLUMBIAN  MUSEUM — ZOOLOGY,  VOL.  III. 

V 

Grog  Brook  camp.  Muskrats  are  common  about  Lake  Edward; 
in  fact,  one  of  the  tributary  rivers  of  that  lake  is  named  Riviere 
aux  Rats,  from  the  immense  number  of  these  mammals  at  one 
time  found  there,  but  it  is  now  rather  more  noted  as  a  brook 
trout  stream.  I  tried  my  best  to  secure, muskrats  at  Dalhousie, 
but  was  foiled,  for  they  are  scarce  there.  From  all  I  could  learn 
they  were  less  common  at  Riviere  du  Loup  and  Murray  Bay  than 
elsewhere.  The  4  specimens  secured  appeared  to  me  identically 
like  specimens  taken  in  West  Virginia,  though  perhaps  slightly 
darker  in  color."  (T.  S.) 

FAM.   ZAPODID^:. 

16.  Zapus  hudsonius. 

Zapus  hudsonius.  Zimm.  Geog.  Gesch.  Mens.  u.  vierfuss. 
Thiere.,  1780,  n,  p.  358. 

Two  examples  from  Murray  Bay,  Quebec. 

The  jumping  mice  seem  to  be  scarce  throughout  all  the  region 
visited  by  Mr.  Surber.  One  of  the  specimens  secured  was  taken 
in  a  trap,  the  other  was  caught  and  brought  in  by  a  house  cat. 
Z.  insignis,  taken  by  Mr.  Bangs  at  Lake  Edward,  although  dili- 
gently sought  for  both  at  the  lake  and  at  Tadousac  and  the  Res- 
tigouche  River,  was  not  procured. 

"  Murray  Bay  was  the  only  place  at  which  I  secured  the 
jumping  mouse.  I  took  one  in  a  trap  set  by  a  little  brook  on 
the  mountain  side  and  a  few  days  later  a  boy  brought  me  one 
which  had  been  taken  from  a  cat.  Mr.  Maltais  of  Murray  Bay 
informed  me  he  killed  many  every  year  during  hay  harvest,  but 
he  may  not  be  able  to  distinguish  between  it  and  a  Peromyscus. 
It  is  a  hard  species  to  trap."  (T.  S.) 

FAM.   ERETHIZONID^. 

17.  Erethizon  dorsatus. 

Erethizon  dorsatus.      Linn.  Syst.  Nat.,  1758,  p.  57. 

No  specimens  were  obtained.  During  hunting  trips  extending 
over  many  years  on  both  sides  of  the  St.  Lawrence,  I  have  never 
met  a  porcupine. 

"At  Salmon  Lake  on  the  Metapedia  River  I  saw  a  tame  por- 
cupine and  was  told  they  were  fairly  common  in  the  country  to 
the  northward  of  that  place.  At  Lake  Edward  and  the  region 
thereabouts  they  are  still  found,  but  are  becoming  scarce.  The 
only  place  I  saw  any  signs  of  their  work  was  on  the  portage 


MAR.  1901.     MAMMALS  FROM  N.  BRUNS.  AND  QUE. — ELLIOT.  25 

road  leading  from  the  Restigouche  River  into  Two  Brooks  Lake 
and  in  the  country  about  Grog  Brook.  Porcupines  are  evidently 
becoming  scarce  about  the  more  thickly  settled  sections  of  coun- 
try visited."  (T.  S.) 

FAM.  LEPORIM:. 

18.  Lepus  americanus. 

Lepus  americanus.     Erxl.  Syst.  Regn.  Anim.,  1777,  p.  330. 

"The  northern  hare  was  fairly  common  all  through  the  region 
visited,  but  was  abundant  only  in  the  region  about  Lake  Edward. 
It  is  found  only  in  the  heavily  timbered  region,  where  its  run- 
ways are  plainly  marked  in  the  deep  moss,  but  I  saw  one  at 
Dalhousie  in  an  old  field  some  distance  from  the  timber.  I  was 
told  at  Murray  Bay  that  they  were  not  at  all  common  near  there. 
I  caught  several  at  Lake  Edward,  all  but  two  were  half  grown 
young,  and  the  two  skins  preserved  were  lost  in  transit  some- 
where between  Quebec  and  Buffalo,  N.  Y.  Owing  to  the  dense 
cover  they  inhabit,  hares  are  seldom  seen,  consequently  few  are 
shot ;  what  specimens  I  took  were  captured  in  steel  traps  set  in 
their  runways."  (T.  S.) 

ORDER    CARNIVORA. 
FAM.    MUSTELID^:. 

19.  Mephitis   mephitica. 

Mephitis  mephitica.      Shaw,  Mus.  Lever.,  1792,  p.  171. 

Two  specimens  from  Murray  Bay,  Quebec. 

Skunks  were  exceedingly  numerous  at  Murray  Bay  and  in  the 
surrounding  district.  Like  those  collected  by  Mr.  Bangs  at 
Lake  Edward,  the  skulls  of  these  examples  lack  the  median 
palatal  spine,  although  skulls  of  Mephitis  from  the  neighboring 
Province  of  Ontario  possess  this  spine.  It  is  a  large  animal  and 
apparently  consistent  in  its  markings  in  Canada. 

"  A  very  large  9  skunk  was  taken  at  the  village  of  Pointe  a  Pic, 
where  it  had  taken  up  its  residence  under  one  of  the  cottages. 
Another  one  stumbled  into  a  trap  I  had  set  under  an  old  barn  up 
the  side  of  the  mountain  at  Murray  Bay.  This  was  a  rather  nice 
$  ,  and  both  specimens  being  extremely  fat.  Skunks  are  found 
near  Lake  Edward,  but  are  very  rare,  and  they  are  also  found  in 
the  Restigouche  and  Metapedia  valleys  near  Metapedia,  as  well  as 
near  Salmon  Lake."  (T.  S.) 


26  FIELD  COLUMBIAN  MUSEUM — ZOOLOGY,  VOL.  III. 

20.  Mustela    americana. 

Mustela  americana.     Turton,  Syst.  Nat.,  i,  1806,  p.  106. 

"The  pine  marten  is  found  in  the  vicinity  of  Lake  Edward  and 
Salmon  Lake  in  fair  numbers,  many  skins  being  taken  each 
winter.  On  the  portage  road  leading  from  the  Restigouche  to 
Two  Brooks  Lake  I  saw  many  deadfalls  built  for  catching  this 
mammal,  and  at  Grog  Brook  my  guide  took  2  fine  specimens  in 
steel  traps  set  near  the  entrails  of  a  caribou,  taking  one  the  i4th, 
the  other  the  2oth  of  September.  The  skull  of  one  of  these 
specimens  was  saved  from  the  fire  in  fairly  good  condition,  but 
in  some  manner  was  lost  on  the  portage  coming  out,  and  though 
I  went  back  to  search,  failed  to  find  it.  On  the  trip  back  through 
the  chain  of  lakes  between  Lake  Edward  and  Lake  Ecarte  I  saw 
many  deadfalls  built  for  taking  this  mammal,  and  it  may  yet  be 
considered  common  in  that  region  and  on  the  Upper  Resti- 
gouche." (T.  S.) 

21.  Putorius  vison. 

Putorius  vison.      Briss.  Regn.  Animal,  1756,  p.  246. 

Two  examples  from  Rat  River,  Lake  Edward. 

"  Minks  are  scarce  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  civilization 
throughout  the  section  visited,  but  I  heard  of  them  at  every 
place  visited,  though  they  were  apparently  less  common  about 
Murray  Bay.  They  are  more  abundant  near  Lake  Edward 
than  elsewhere,  and  I  secured  a  very  fine  $  there  and  a 
little  later  a  9  at  Rat  River.  Also  took  one  at  Grog  Brook,  but 
it  was  destroyed  with  the  other  specimens  secured  there."  (T.  S.) 

22.  Mustela  pennanti. 

Mustela  pennanti.      Erxl. ,  Syst.  Regn.  Anim.,  1777,  p.  470. 

"The  only  place  at  which  I  heard  of  the  fisher  was  at  Lake 
Edward,  where  they  are  becoming  scarce,  however.  Mr.  Row- 
ley gets  a  few  skins  each  winter  from  trappers,  who  get  them  in 
the  wild  region  to  the  westward  of  that  place."  (T.  S.) 

23.  Lutra  canadensis. 

Lutra  canadensis.      Kerr,  Linn.  Anim.  King.,  1777,  p.  448. 

"  Otters  are  still  found  at  Salmon  Lake,  and  at  the  little  lake 
near  my  camp  at  Grog  Brook  I  saw  a  fresh  slide,  but  failed 
to  trap  any.  In  August,  I  shot  an  otter,  the  only  one  I  saw,  in 
the  Vermillion  River  (outlet  of  Lake  Ecarte),  but  it  was  lost  in 
the  rapids  of  that  fine  trout  stream.  Mr.  Rowley  told  me  otters 


MAR.  1901       MAMMALS  FROM  N.  BRUNS.  AND  QUE.  —ELLIOT.  27 

were  common  in  some  of  the  smaller  lakes  west  of  Lake  Edward, 
but  I  believe  it  is  more  or  less  rare  in  most  of  the  section  visited." 

(T.  S.) 

24.  Felis  canadensis. 

Felis  canadensis.      Desm.  Mamm.,  1820,  p.  224. 

No  specimens  taken. 

"On  one  of  the  portages  between  Lake  Edward  and  Lake 
Ecarte,  near  Lake  Algonquin,  I  saw  the  tracks  of  a  '  Loup 
cervier, '  and,  one  night  while  in  camp  at  Grog  Brook,  one  set  up 
•  an  unearthly  screech  in  a  cedar  thicket  quite  near  the  tent.  At 
Salmon  Lake  I  saw  a  skin  of  one  taken  in  the  vicinity,  where  it 
is  said  to  be  fairly  common.  Many  are  yet  found  up  the  Resti- 
gouche  River,  where  they  find  abundant  food  in  the  parks  of 
Canada  grouse,  so  numerous  there."  (T.  S.) 

25.  Canis  occidentalis. 

Canis  occidentalis.      Rich.  Faun.  Bor.  Amer. ,  1829,  p.  60. 

No  specimens  secured. 

"Wolves  are  now  rare  throughout  the  region,  but  a  few  are 
still  found  near  Lake  Edward  and  Salmon  Lake,  where  they  hang 
around  the  caribou  herds  in  winter.  I  was  told  they  are  plentiful 
in  the  wild,  unexplored  Shicksebocks  Mountains  of  the  Gaspe 
Peninsula."  (T.  S.) 

26.  Vulpes  pennsylvanica. 

Vulpes  pennsylvanica.      Bodd.  Elench.,  i,  1784,  p.  96. 

No  examples  secured. 

"Red  foxes  are  rather  common  about  Metapedia,  Salmon 
Lake,  Riviere  du  Loup  and  Murray  Bay,  but  are  rare  at  Lake 
Edward.  I  have  never  yet  succeeded  in  trapping  a  fox  and  all 
my  efforts  to  get  a  specimen  failed."  (T.  S.) 

FAM.    URSID.E. 

27.  Ursus  americanus. 

Ursus  americanus.      Pall.  Spicil.  Zool.  fasc.  xiv,  1780,  pp.  5-7. 

No  specimens  obtained. 

Black  bear  are  found  in  limited  numbers  throughout  the  forest 
region  visited  by  Mr.  Surber,  and  some  are  secured  yearly  by 
trappers  and  hunters. 

"The  only  place  I  saw  any  signs  of  bear  was  at  Grog  Brook, 
where  the  fresh  foot-prints  of  a  medium  size  one  was  seen  one 


28  FIELD  COLUMBIAN  MUSEUM — ZOOLOGY,  VOL.  III. 

day  on  the  barrens.  They  are  still  found  in  limited  numbers 
near  Salmon  Lake  and  Lake  Edward,  but  it  is  a  rather  rare 
species  in  the  whole  region,  unless  it  is  far  up  the  Restigouche 
River. 

"I  made  frequent  inquiries  about  the  wolverine  (Gulo),  but 
could  not  hear  of  it  anywhere,  so  it  must  be  a  very  rare  animal 
indeed."  (T.  S.) 

ORDER   INSECTIVORA. 
FAM.   SORICID.E. 

28.  Sorex   personatus. 

Sorex  personatus.  Geoff.  St.  Hil.  Mem.  du  Mus.  Paris,  1827, 
xv,  pp.  122-125. 

Five  specimens  from  Dalhousie  and  Lake  Edward. 

"  I  met  with  this  shrew  only  at  Dalhousie,  New  Brunswick, 
and  at  Lake  Edward  and  Lake  Ecarte  in  Quebec,  and  it  was 
apparently  more  common  near  Lake  Edward  than  elsewhere. 
It  is  apparently  as  common  on  side  hills  among  moss-covered 
logs  as  it  is  in  the  deep,  moist  sphagnum  of  old  swamps." 

(T.  S.) 

29.  Sorex  fumeus. 

Sorex  fumeus.      Miller,  N.  Am.  Faun.,  No.  10,  1895,  p.  50. 

Two  specimens  from  Restigouche  River  and  Riviere  du  Loup. 

"Specimens  of  this  interesting  shrew  were  obtained  at  only 
two  places,  Riviere  du  Loup  on  the  St.  Lawrence  and  Two 
Brooks  on  the  Restigouche,  a  specimen  at  each  place,  so  it 
must  be  a  rare  mammal.  Both  were  taken  by  little  streams 
under  old  moss-covered  logs  deep  in  the  spruce  woods." 

(T.  S.) 

30.  Blarina  brevicauda. 

Blarina  brevicauda.  Say  in  Long's  Exp.  Rocky  Mts. ,  i,  1823, 
p.  164. 

Fifteen  examples  from  Dalhousie,  Restigouche  River,  Meta- 
pedia,  Riviere  du  Loup,  Murray  Bay  and  Lake  Edward, 
Provinces  of  New  Brunswick  and  Quebec.  This  shrew  was 
very  common  in  all  places  visited  where  any  specimens  of 
mammals  were  taken. 

"  I  found  short-tailed  shrews  most  common  in  some  hardwood 
forest  at  Riviere  du  Loup,  but  also  took  specimens  at  Lake 
Edward,  Murray  Bay,  Metapedia  and  Two  Brooks  and  Dal- 


MAR.  1901.      MAMMALS  FROM  N.  BRUNS.  AND  QUE.  —  ELLIOT. 


29 


housie,     New     Brunswick.       Apparently     it     is     fairly     common 
throughout  the  region."  (T.  S.) 


FAM.    TALPID.E. 

31.     Condylura  cristata. 

Condylura  cristata.      Linn.  Syst.  Nat.,  1758,  p.  53. 

No  specimens  procured. 

"Both  Prof.  Elliot  and  myself  searched  for  this  mole  at  Mur- 
ray Bay,  but  without  success,  and  Mr.  Maltais  showed  me  where 
he  had  some  time  previously  seen  its  hill,  but  none  could  be  found 
during  my  visit.  I  searched  for  it  everywhere  I  visited,  but 
could  not  find  any  signs  of  its  presence,  though  it  undoubtedly 
occurs  all  through  the  region."  (T.  S.) 


- 

k  >    > 


»•••*: 


UNIVERSITY  OF  ILLINOIS-URBANA 

590. 5FI  C001 

FIELDIANA.  ZOOLOGYSCHGO 
31900-04 


30112009379600 


* 


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